Boston - Home prices and sales in the Boston area and across the state are hitting new heights, even as stock market prices are on a roller coaster ride.

Based on reports from The Warren Group, Boston based real estate data firm and publisher - Home sales across the state have shot up 24 percent since last July compared to the same month the year before, the best showing in a decade.

Locally - Manchester By The Sea - There are 30 homes for sale in Manchester By The Sea. The Median Listing Price is 1.5M. Price per Sq. Foot is $277 and Median Closing Price is $725,000. The median price in Manchester-By-The-Sea has leaped in price by about 41 percent, to 842k. Rockport saw a 34 percent increase.

Best investment right now is your home especially in towns like Manchester-By-The-Sea, Rockport, Belmont, Revere, Weston, Watertown, Somerville, Cambridge and Dover.

There is an ongoing shortage of home for sale. This has been the key factor in driving prices up, industry experts say, with the number of single-family listings on the market down 25 percent from last year.

Last July's numbers were a result of a very strong spring season and are an improvement over the sluggish start to the year.